This year's Lagos and Fashion Design Week featured five designers showcasing plus-size collections in a defiant celebration of all things curvy

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Most seemed to agree. When the lights went up and the first plus-size model strode onto the runway wearing sunglasses, crimson lips and a ton of attitude, the crowd went wild.

"Oh. My. God," said a woman in the audience with an afro and gold hoop earrings. "Wow."

Booming business

Unlike the hesitant, calf-like models before them, the curvy women owned the runway, blowing kisses to the cameras as they shimmied down the catwalk to hoots and cheers.

Model Olivia Emenike, who is a size 18 and stands over six feet tall, says she wouldn't have it any other way.

"I've never criticised my big bones or thick thighs. No one should feel ashamed of what they have," said the 25-year-old.

"I wanted to be part of this event and show that plus-size women are fashionable."

Plus-size clothing is shedding its dowdy reputation as more big name stores including Target and Mango introduce larger lines.

US actress Melissa McCarthy introduced her own Seven7 brand after no one would make her a dress for the 2012 Academy Awards, with her manifesto declaring "clothes should flatter our bodies and not just try to cover us up."

Models backstage at the Lagos Fashion & Design Week in Nigeria on October 26, 2016

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"Nigerians appreciate curvy girls, they say why are you so skinny? They say big is healthy, that's Nigerian beauty."

The curvy collective was brought together by Latasha Ngwube, a 33-year-old former journalist and founder of About That Curvy Life, a lifestyle website "aimed at inspiring and supporting the plus-size community".

Ngwube started using the hashtag #AboutThatCurvyLife when she was attending fashion shows. Now her website has 15,000 visitors a week.

A movement was born, Ngwube said.

"I think it's just mission started, but for tonight we'll take mission accomplished."